Vigo Body LIft

Discuss modifications on your new shape Hilux here. 2005 till current. Also called the Vigo in other countries.
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Mikie
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Vigo Body LIft

Post by Mikie »

So I have been toying with the idea of modifying my Vigo a little, making it look beefier and bigger, girls always tell me that size matters

Initially I wanted to do a suspension lift, extended Shackles at the back and spacers on the front coils, sounds simple enough

But I know I can also do a body lift.
What exactly is entailed in doing this?
Can this be done by a lay man in his back yard?
How exactly is this done? what parts are needed etc?
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Re: Vigo Body LIft

Post by Farmerbrown »

If you'r going to spend the money . Put in a new suspension with shackles at the back . And that will give you lift , Unfortunately don't know anything about just body lift .
Spacers and shackles will work fine also
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Re: Vigo Body LIft

Post by Mikie »

Anyone??
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Re: Vigo Body LIft

Post by Mud Dog »

Hi Mike. A body lift doesn't really give you any benefits besides improving approach and departure angles and typically this is only done to accommodate bigger tyres or sometimes a motor conversion that otherwise wouldn't fit.

The bigger tyres would then give you some definite benefits like a slightly raised axle clearance, additional approach and departure angles as well as improved break-over angle. If that's your planning then it makes a little sense, - not that much though because a suspension lift gives you the same advantages and more. Besides the front CV's operating at sharper angles with a suspension lift (not a good thing), the only draw back is raising the COG which is common to both modifications. (The suspension lift also allows for bigger tyres.)

From that point of view, the suspension lift is what I would concentrate on and from a cost aspect there's no lifting of radiator and cowl, extending steering rod and what not else.

Hope this helps. :winkx:
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Re: Vigo Body LIft

Post by Mikie »

Mud Dog wrote: Wed Aug 23, 2017 8:40 am Hi Mike. A body lift doesn't really give you any benefits besides improving approach and departure angles and typically this is only done to accommodate bigger tyres or sometimes a motor conversion that otherwise wouldn't fit.

The bigger tyres would then give you some definite benefits like a slightly raised axle clearance, additional approach and departure angles as well as improved break-over angle. If that's your planning then it makes a little sense, - not that much though because a suspension lift gives you the same advantages and more. Besides the front CV's operating at sharper angles with a suspension lift (not a good thing), the only draw back is raising the COG which is common to both modifications. (The suspension lift also allows for bigger tyres.)

From that point of view, the suspension lift is what I would concentrate on and from a cost aspect there's no lifting of radiator and cowl, extending steering rod and what not else.

Hope this helps. :winkx:
Absolutely, thanks for the advice Andy
I want to do it purely for the cosmetic side of it. I have always loved the look of a big grown up bakkie

WRT the CV's, how serious is the sharper angle aspect?

I was considering 20mm spacers up front
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Re: Vigo Body LIft

Post by Mud Dog »

20mm Should be OK as far as I know - I think it gets close to absolute tolerance with a 30mm spacer. The "Vigo Guys" here on the forum can confirm that and I would estimate that 20mm spacers should give about 60 / 70mm lift.

Hopefully your bakkie has a 'nose down' stance at the moment so that you don't have to extend the rear shackles by too much. (For a 50mm lift you have to extend by 100mm and the longer the extension the more 'open road' instability at the rear increases). With a bit of luck you only have to extend them by 50 or 60mm which is still respectable.
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Re: Vigo Body LIft

Post by coetzer94 »

I did the LAS 25mm spacers up front which would give you about 40-50mm of lift, which is in spec for the CVs as none of the major suspension systems lift the vehicle much above 50mm.

But seeing as your vehicle is 2x4, the CVs will not be a problem, and you can lift it however much you want (according to me anyway)

My recommendation would be to do the spacers and if you still want some more lift at the back fit the shackles.

OR you could just fit Camils
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Re: Vigo Body LIft

Post by Mikie »

coetzer94 wrote: Thu Aug 24, 2017 8:41 am I did the LAS 25mm spacers up front which would give you about 40-50mm of lift, which is in spec for the CVs as none of the major suspension systems lift the vehicle much above 50mm.

But seeing as your vehicle is 2x4, the CVs will not be a problem, and you can lift it however much you want (according to me anyway)

My recommendation would be to do the spacers and if you still want some more lift at the back fit the shackles.

OR you could just fit Camils
I knew asking here was the right thing to do

Thanks Chaps

Now my next question:
I was looking at 4x4 Direct for these parts, spacers and Shackles

http://www.4x4direct.co.za/extended-sha ... results=19

http://www.4x4direct.co.za/strut-spacer ... results=51

Advice on price and quality of these parts?? Or should I look elsewhere??

I want to do the shackles too as my Hilux suffers from the common Hilux thing of Squeaky suspension, I think its got to do with bushes in the OEM shackles.
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Re: Vigo Body LIft

Post by Mud Dog »

Ha! Oops, my bad ... didn't note that it was a 2x4 vehicle. In that case there is no concern about CV operating angles in the front and neither do the off-road pro's and cons apply.

IRO the suspension squeak, if it's at the rear then it's more likely to be the hanger pin bushes than the shackle bushes, so replace those as well. :winkx:
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Re: Vigo Body LIft

Post by Mikie »

Mud Dog wrote: Thu Aug 24, 2017 10:16 am Ha! Oops, my bad ... didn't note that it was a 2x4 vehicle. In that case there is no concern about CV operating angles in the front and neither do the off-road pro's and cons apply.

IRO the suspension squeak, if it's at the rear then it's more likely to be the hanger pin bushes than the shackle bushes, so replace those as well. :winkx:
Right, I am looking at doing this myself, hanger pin bushes?? I would have guessed that those are the bushes in the Shackles,

Where exactly are those bushes?
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Re: Vigo Body LIft

Post by Mud Dog »

The shackle bushes are the ones at the rear of the leaf spring, 2 per side. The hanger pin is the anchor point at the front of the leaf spring pack, 1 per side. :winkx:

If the pins (hanger and shackle) are not worn or badly pitted, they don't need replacement - just grease them when you fit the new bushes. If the pins are worn, then you will have to replace and you might want to consider getting "greasable" pins - they have a grease nipple on the bolt head that feeds grease to the bushes without having to remove them.
When your road comes to an end ...... you need a HILUX!.

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Re: Vigo Body LIft

Post by Mikie »

Ah Fantastic, thanks
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Re: Vigo Body LIft

Post by pieta.swanepoel »

Any recommended "greasable" pins?
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Re: Vigo Body LIft

Post by Mud Dog »

pieta.swanepoel wrote: Fri Aug 25, 2017 6:39 am Any recommended "greasable" pins?
Mikem have them.
When your road comes to an end ...... you need a HILUX!.

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Re: Vigo Body LIft

Post by pieta.swanepoel »

Thank you. Want to speak to them in any case
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Re: Vigo Body LIft

Post by Lorry »

Hi.
some advice.
if you are fitting spacers, you will need to change your shocks to longer ones. a Friend of mine did the spacer lift and ended up pulling the the shaft out of the shock due to the fact that the shock shaft will now have to travel further when you go over a bump. his failed driving over a speed hump. Yes the spring is okay as you are adding a spacer between it and the body, but the shock is still fitted to the body and is now pulled out 50 mm more, depending on the spacer that you are fitting, so the shock will reach it's full length before the suspension hits the stopper in its uncompressed stage. This is what happened to him. So keep this in mind.
cheers
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Re: Vigo Body LIft

Post by Mikie »

Lorry wrote: Fri Aug 25, 2017 9:28 am Hi.
some advice.
if you are fitting spacers, you will need to change your shocks to longer ones. a Friend of mine did the spacer lift and ended up pulling the the shaft out of the shock due to the fact that the shock shaft will now have to travel further when you go over a bump. his failed driving over a speed hump. Yes the spring is okay as you are adding a spacer between it and the body, but the shock is still fitted to the body and is now pulled out 50 mm more, depending on the spacer that you are fitting, so the shock will reach it's full length before the suspension hits the stopper in its uncompressed stage. This is what happened to him. So keep this in mind.
cheers
:boss: :shock2:
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Re: Vigo Body LIft

Post by coetzer94 »

Mud Dog wrote: Thu Aug 24, 2017 10:37 am The shackle bushes are the ones at the rear of the leaf spring, 2 per side. The hanger pin is the anchor point at the front of the leaf spring pack, 1 per side. :winkx:

If the pins (hanger and shackle) are not worn or badly pitted, they don't need replacement - just grease them when you fit the new bushes. If the pins are worn, then you will have to replace and you might want to consider getting "greasable" pins - they have a grease nipple on the bolt head that feeds grease to the bushes without having to remove them.
Mikie wrote: Thu Aug 24, 2017 10:23 am
Mud Dog wrote: Thu Aug 24, 2017 10:16 am Ha! Oops, my bad ... didn't note that it was a 2x4 vehicle. In that case there is no concern about CV operating angles in the front and neither do the off-road pro's and cons apply.

IRO the suspension squeak, if it's at the rear then it's more likely to be the hanger pin bushes than the shackle bushes, so replace those as well. :winkx:
Right, I am looking at doing this myself, hanger pin bushes?? I would have guessed that those are the bushes in the Shackles,

Where exactly are those bushes?
Im not to sure that this is the problem....My experience with the squeeky rear suspension was sorted by new teflon friction pads between the leafs. They were fitted by toyota as the people know that the squeeks are an issue.

What you can do to test is to jack up the vehicle on the towbar so the leafs are relaxed. Then use a pressure washer to remove dirt that has become stuck between the leafs (the source of the problem) You can also check to see if your Teflon pads are still present (mine were missing). Leave it to dry out a bit before attacking it with a bottle of Q20!

This wont be a long term solution, but rather temporary to see where the problem originates from.
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Re: Vigo Body LIft

Post by Mikie »

I have a new set of leaf springs lying in my garage, thinking of fitting those too
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Re: Vigo Body LIft

Post by Mikie »

Lorry wrote: Fri Aug 25, 2017 9:28 am Hi.
some advice.
if you are fitting spacers, you will need to change your shocks to longer ones. a Friend of mine did the spacer lift and ended up pulling the the shaft out of the shock due to the fact that the shock shaft will now have to travel further when you go over a bump. his failed driving over a speed hump. Yes the spring is okay as you are adding a spacer between it and the body, but the shock is still fitted to the body and is now pulled out 50 mm more, depending on the spacer that you are fitting, so the shock will reach it's full length before the suspension hits the stopper in its uncompressed stage. This is what happened to him. So keep this in mind.
cheers

What longer shocks?? Anything in particular I should look for?
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Re: Vigo Body LIft

Post by Lorry »

Hi.
sorry for the late replay i have been off the site for awhile
you can buy any 4x4 shocks .to me they are all okay, all depends what you want to do with the vehicle? the 4x4 shops will be your best bet in helping you with recommended shock.
cheers
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Re: Vigo Body LIft

Post by jacques kotze »

For a body lift you will have to do the following.

Modify the towbar and bullbar so it sit's higher as the body will be higher and the towbar/bullbar is fixed on the chassis, you will have to cut the gearlever and make it longer (this tricky), the fuel filler pipe will have to be extended as the diesel tank stays the height it is but the filler cap will move up with the body, you will also have to extend the brake lines from the master cylinder as this will also move up with the body, you will have to modify your steering rod from the steering wheel to the pump as the angle will not be the same anymore. If the radiator is fixed to the body you will have to lower it again so the pipes will fit, or you you will have to extend the pipes.

I did a body lift to my '94 Hilux years ago. will not do it again.
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